Friday, September 30
I've written about 'chosen family' before and about how we have these people in our lives who are not blood relatives but who are as much - if not more so - family as the people who share our blood ties. I think God sends these angels to be with us, to fill in the gaps in our lives and to help us create a meaningful existence.
Mike and I are blessed to have wonderful relationships with our brothers and their families. We make an effort to stay close to them despite the distance between us all. My parents are loving Christian people who always mean well despite the way I sometimes feel after having talked or visited with them. I am, unfortunately, not what they have at times indicated they wished I was.
But there are all of these people in our lives who accept us as we are... flawed and all. And they fit in the cracks and gaps in our lives and make us stronger and better. And this week, a few of those people have been stronger for us than they probably thought they were. I am deeply touched by their gestures especially since they are all dealing with their own struggles right now, too.
Mandy and Josh went to dinner with all of us for Mike's birthday, after he had a really lousy day, and they laughed with us and talked with us and entertained our kids for a bit. And they didn't seem to mind when I uninvited them for dessert so I could instead shuffle my sleepy kids home and get them in the bed.
Without telling me, my friend, Aleece, has been praying for me to find a resolution to something I struggle with at church. When I was telling her about an impulse decision I made earlier this week regarding my future with that activity, she told me of her prayers and that she had been praying I would find the time and the action needed. I felt so much better about my choice knowing that she had been praying for it.
My friend, Mandy, took a stand for me and Mike today... did something in order to protect us... and I am humbled by her actions. By her love.
Without these people, we would not be who we are. And I am humbled by them and ... to say I am thankful for them would be an understatement. There are no words (and for me, that's a big thing!).
[ posted by Chel on Friday, September 30, 2005 ]
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